Buyer beware

While Ottawa Senators management eyes a potential draft table deal, they can sit and marvel at moves going down elsewhere in the NHL.

By Ottawa CitizenJune 28, 2013

While Ottawa Senators management eyes a potential draft table deal, they can sit and marvel at moves going down elsewhere in the NHL.

A host of long-term contracts that "seemed like a good idea at the time" are getting tossed through the window of opportunity known as the compliance buyout period. In some cases, to certain general managers, money truly is the root of all evil (especially when trying to accommodate a fixed salary cap that is temporarily shrinking).

Some of the NHL's wealthiest players - come on down Vinny Lecavalier and Ilya Bryzgalov - are suddenly receiving a lot of money to NOT play for the teams that signed them. The Lecavalier move by Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman, with the blessing of owner Jeff Vinik, is especially bold considering the contract and (once) cornerstone player involved. By biting the bullet on Lecavalier, the Lightning create badly needed cap room at the buyout cost of $32.67 million real dollars.

In an open letter to Lightning fans, Yzerman explained that the move will free up $7.7 million in cap space each season over the next seven years. Admitting he was stunned by the move, Lecavalier said he understood the reality of the new CBA and vowed to continue his vast charitable commitment to Tampa Bay.

He wasn't the first and Lecavalier won't be the last to be cut loose at a cost.

The Philadelphia Flyers earlier made a $23-million buyout of goaltender Bryzgalov.

Flyers GM Paul Holmgren then predicted "a lot of funny things" will happen over the next week.

Stay tuned for more salary-shedding moves to follow, along with a healthy list of pending free agents, one or two of which might fit into the Senators' plans.

For example, after the Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Chris Kunitz Thursday to a three-year contract with a $3.85-million cap hit, do they have room to re-sign winger Pascal Dupuis as well? Dupuis is a renowned Senators killer (including the overtime series clincher in Game 5 of the 2010 Eastern Conference quarter-final) and was one of Pittsburgh's top producers in the recent playoffs (seven goals, four assists in 15 games, with two goals and one assist in the five-game series against Ottawa).

At $1.5 million last season, the last of a two-year deal, Dupuis was one of the true bargains in the NHL.

So, what would he be worth at age 34 on the open market, his last best chance at a lucrative contract? As recently as 2011-12, Dupuis scored 25 goals. He had 20 last season in just 48 games in lockoutshortened 2012-13, which projects to 34 over a normal 82-game season. He would be a great "get" by Ottawa if the Senators could land him.

Of course, Penguins GM Ray Shero is believed to have Dupuis next on his own "get" list, which may or may not include defenceman Kris Letang. Murray said Thursday he was "not sure" if Dupuis might become available.

Flyers centre Danny Brière is also expected to be bought out, and although Briere is 35 and coming off a lean season, his playoff pedigree alone makes him attractive at the right price. The Senators are among many with interest.

Before he left for the draft on Long Island, Senators GM Bryan Murray cautioned in an interview that the team budget does not allow them to pursue the top tier of free agents - second tier, maybe.

The easy way to fill a top six forward position, Murray said, would be to "go out and sign a couple of $5 million players," but the Senators don't have the budget for it and are not spending to the cap limit. Murray has talked to several teams about potential player moves but has had no luck in moving higher than the No. 17 draft position or with other potential trades.

There have been plenty of calls about Ottawa's young talent, and Murray is not opposed to putting a package together for a proven scorer.

"The problem is, the names being mentioned (from other teams) are high-salaried guys that don't fit," Murray said. "I'm trying to live within the budget. The guys they're willing to part with are $5 million, $6 million players."

While the departure of defenceman Sergei Gonchar's $5.5-million cap hit brings salary relief, the Senators will need that money to pay captain Daniel Alfredsson, assuming he announces that he's coming back for another year.

Alfredsson earned just $1 million last season on a front-loaded deal, and will probably get $4.5 to $5 million on a new deal. On the open market, he could get more.

"Alfie is better than most free agents we could get," Murray said.

How close are the Senators to becoming a top team in the east? In Murray's view, "not that far away.

"If some of the kids improve as much as we think we can improve, we're going to be in the race now," Murray said. "It's not like we're worried about being a bottom feeder unless something strange happens ... so I would be open to making a move."

Murray said he would even consider giving up his first round pick at 17 for a "legitimate player," but hasn't yet come across that offer. To paraphrase Holmgren, plenty more fun to come in the days ahead.

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